VP, Bread Quality and Food Safety

Description

At izzio Artisan Bakery, we believe great bread starts with great ingredients—and great people. As the #1 selling and fastest-growing sourdough brand, we craft our bread in small batches using time-honored techniques, simple ingredients, and a passion for quality. Naturally fermented and incredibly delicious, izzio is real artisan sourdough. Our team is at the heart of everything we do—and a key ingredient in our success. 

Position Summary

The Vice President, Bread Quality & Food Safety is a senior executive leader responsible for setting and executing the enterprise-wide strategy for food safety, regulatory compliance, and product quality across all bakery operations.  This role provides strategic oversight of bread quality, food safety systems, supplier quality, regulatory affairs, and quality culture across multi-site manufacturing operations.

The VP will drive a proactive, prevention-based food safety culture while ensuring operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and brand protection. This role requires a seasoned executive with demonstrated experience in senior leadership positions overseeing complex, multi-location food manufacturing environments.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Culture

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive quality and food safety strategy aligned with company objectives and brand values.
• Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing quality and food safety organization.
• Champion a culture of quality and continuous improvement throughout all levels of the company. 

Regulatory & Food Safety Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all applicable food safety laws and regulatory standards (e.g., FDA, FSMA, HACCP, SQF/GFSI, local and state regulations). 
• Oversee food safety management systems and preventive controls across production, packaging, warehouse, and distribution.
• Serve as executive team lead in third-party audits and certification programs.

Quality Assurance & Product Standards

• Define quality metrics and performance indicators for artisan bread products (e.g., sensory attributes, consistency, shelf life, safety).
• Oversee product release standards, deviation management, corrective actions, and preventive actions (CAPA) to maintain product integrity.
• Partner with Product Development and R&D teams on quality and safety considerations for new product development and scaling production.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Operations, Supply Chain, R&D, Procurement, and Sales to embed quality and safety best practices within business processes.
• Support customer quality inquiries and escalation.

Customer Quality Complaints & Complaint Management 

• Oversee and govern the customer quality complaint management program, ensuring timely, thorough, and consistent investigation, response, and resolution of all quality and food safety complaints.
• Serve as the executive owner of customer quality escalations, including direct engagement on high-risk, repeat, or strategic customer issues.
• Ensure complaint investigations include root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and effectiveness verification, with clear documentation and follow-up.
• Establish and monitor KPIs and trends for customer complaints to identify systemic risks, emerging quality issues, and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Partner with Sales, Customer Service, and Operations to ensure aligned communication and corrective action execution.
• Provide regular executive and customer-facing reporting on complaint trends, resolution effectiveness, and risk mitigation actions.

Data & Reporting

• Develop reporting frameworks to monitor performance, identify trends, and recommend improvements.
• Present quality and food safety performance updates to executive leadership.

Risk Management

• Lead enterprise-level risk assessments related to food safety, process compliance, and supplier quality.
• Oversee contingency planning for recalls, customer issues, or regulatory challenges.

Training & Development

• Establish and oversee comprehensive training programs on food safety, sanitation, quality systems, and regulatory requirements for all relevant personnel.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Microbiology,  Quality Assurance, or related field. 
• Minimum 15+ years of progressive experience in food safety and quality leadership within food manufacturing (CPG), with significant experience in bread or bakery operations strongly preferred.
• At least 10+ years in senior leadership roles with demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive culture change. 
• Proven enterprise-level accountability for food safety and quality performance across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Deep knowledge of HACCP, FSMA, SQF, GFSI standards, FDA/USDA regulations, and bakery-specific quality systems.
• Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills with the ability to develop strategy and execute operationally.
• Experience leading audits (internal and external) and managing certification readiness.
• Experience leading executive-level crisis management and recall programs.
• Strong strategic leadership combined with operational execution capability.
• Exceptional communication, influence, and change-management skills.
• Experience presenting to Boards or Executive Stakeholders.
• Maintain regular, consistent attendance & punctuality. Must have a flexible schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Preferred Skills

• Experience in fresh foods, artisan baking, or high-volume commercial bakery operations.
• Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), HACCP, PCQI, or related certifications.
• Track record of implementing continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience working on multi-site quality systems.
• Experience supporting growth through acquisitions, integration, or multi-site system standardization.

Compensation is based on the level of experience, other relevant experience, and the requirements of the position. The range provided serves only as a guideline and does not automatically qualify all candidates (internal or external) for the high end of the range.

$195,000 - $248,000 plus annual bonus

Location: On – site – Louisville/Thornton

Position Closing Date: 3/2/2026

At izzio, we believe great work starts with happy, supported people. That’s why we offer a comprehensive and thoughtful benefits package designed to help you thrive inside and outside of work. From competitive pay to career growth opportunities, we’re committed to supporting you.

Our Benefits Include:

• Compensation: Competitive base salaries (commensurate with experience) along with potential bonus program and other recognitions dependent upon role. 
• Health & Wellbeing: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options to keep you and your family covered.
• Financial Security: 401(k) with company match, life insurance, and long-term disability. 
• Work-Life Balance: Paid time off, paid holidays, and flexible scheduling where possible.
• Growth & Development: We are committed to the growth of our employees by providing ongoing training, professional  development opportunities, and pathways to advance your career.
• Breadquarters Perks: Weekly take-home bread, because real sourdough bread is part of your life, not just your job. You’ll also enjoy the occasional team meal, first tastes of our innovation, and coffee is provided at the office.
• Recognition: izzio encourages a recognition culture and offers opportunities to recognize peers via our Employee Portal Recognition & Rewards. 

At izzio, you’re more than just an employee, you’re a key ingredient in our success. We value craftsmanship, teamwork, and innovation, and we’re proud to create breads that bring joy to our customers every day. When you join our team, you become part of a community that respects your contributions, supports your growth, and celebrates the art of baking together.